Meet Scott Aylward, Server Support Engineer

 

Scott Aylward is a Server Support Engineer at FastServers.Net. He has earned several certifications including Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), COMPTIA A+, Network+, and the Help Desk Institute (HDI) Customer Support Specialist certification. His extensive background in web development and experience in customer support, led him directly to FastServers.Net. Prior to working at FastServers.Net, Scott primarily worked in PC and end-user support for two organizations - Hawkeye Community College and Viking Pump. Scott says he enjoys working the late shift, but it doesn't allow him to get out and participate in outside activities.

"Working third shift, especially during the winter months, does not allow for much time outside." When he does get to go out, he likes to play disc golf or go hiking in the woods. "I like to hike around Big Woods Lake or along the Cedar, anywhere that is wooded and near water. There's nothing like being lost in the middle of a forest to clear one's head." He told us he likes disc golf for the same reasons. "It's nice to get out before the crowds start building up and get some fresh air and exercise." He continued, "Plus disc golf is all the fun of regular golf, but without the funny pants and expensive equipment."

In his free time, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. Before working at FastServers.Net, he was an active member of several Counter-Strike clans, but told us he no longer has time for video games these days. "Now that I have a family, I spend much of my free time with them. It's important to spend quality time with family." He said he and his family mostly hang around the house, but once the weather warms up, they will enjoy the fresh air and take long walks down by the river. "We also have a bike trailer for my daughter so we are hoping to be able to ride the bike trails with her when the weather is nice." Scott and his wife used to ride at least ten miles a day before their daughter was born. Hey, you should join Ian on the next RAGBRAI!

If he's not spending time with family, you can find Scott reading mostly non-fiction books with intense and complicated subject matter. His favorite book, "Consciousness Explained," is a good example of what Scott believes is complicated subject matter. "The book takes a subject as complicated as consciousness and provides an explanation that leaves many people more confused than they were prior to reading it." He explained to us that the complication subject matter makes it even more enjoyable for him to read and re-read, which has done several times. He even tied the book to the way customer issues are resolved. "Understanding how the mind works can provide an advantage in any tasks, including troubleshooting an issue with one of our customer's servers." Scott also has a subscription to Wired magazine and reads new issues as soon as they hit his doorstep. He considers Wired to be "very light reading, especially compared to the complicated subject matter he usually reads."

Occasionally Scott finds time to watch his favorite television shows, The Office and Lost. He said The Office is well written and the humor is more subtle than many other shows on television today. "I do not get into television shows enough to have any favorite characters," explained Scott. "Matter of fact, I don't like any of the characters on Lost because they are all irrational and get overly concerned with personal issues. They are stuck on an island for crying out loud!" Scott also enjoys watching anything on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. "Those shows tend to be much more original and better written than network shows."

If his favorite televisions shows are not playing, you can find Scott listening to his favorite music. "My favorite band of all time is Phish, partially because they can play all genres equally well, but mostly because they put on a good show." Currently he's listening to Yonder Mountain String Band, which is a combination of jam and bluegrass music. "I like Yonder Mountain because it is made up of good musicians that enjoy playing." Scott told us they are a great band to see live. "They have so much energy and create such a fun and exciting atmosphere in a live setting. Great music." And if he's listening to funk music, he said Herbie Hancock is his favorite. "Good funk is just plain funkier than other funk. Either you know good funk or you don't."

At the office, Scott handles various support issues, ranging from relatively simple email problems to corrupted file systems. He said the most challenging aspect of his job is managing all of the information about a particular issue. "Well organized information can help tremendously, but misplaced information can make troubleshooting a complex problem, much more difficult." Scott said he has to work harder to know exactly what's going on with a particular server at any given time. But it doesn't stop at building servers and configuring software, Scott enjoys the environment just as much as any other FastServers.Net employee.

We ask all employees what they like most about working at FastServers.Net. Scott, like many other team members, had all positive things to say about his experience. "I enjoy working with the multitude of different issues that present themselves on a daily basis. I also like working with experienced technicians as it allows me to learn from those who are already experienced in a particular area." Scott said the free shirts are a huge plus too! Hey, don't forget about the free lunch on Wednesdays.